--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mysticism is not this or that particular…" description: "\"Mysticism is not this or that particular cup on the table; it is the water poured into all of them.\" — Vernon Howard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/vernon-howard-2173_cups_mysticism-is-not-this-or-that-particular_2232214.png" --- # Mysticism is not this or that particular cup on the table… ![“Mysticism is not this or that particular cup on the table; it is the water poured into all of them.” quote by Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/vernon-howard-2173_cups_mysticism-is-not-this-or-that-particular_2232214.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/vernon-howard-2173_cups_mysticism-is-not-this-or-that-particular_2232214.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/vernon-howard-2173_cups_mysticism-is-not-this-or-that-particular_2232214.png) > “Mysticism is not this or that particular cup on the table; it is the water poured into all of them.” [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mysticism transcends specific symbols; it is the underlying essence present in all forms. **In simple terms:** Mysticism is the underlying essence in everything. Key Takeaway Seek the common essence. Themes spirituality unity philosophy Mood calm inspired Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - art appreciation - interfaith dialogue - science Key Concepts essence nondualism Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience the underlying essence? - What symbols help you feel unity? A Different Perspective Focusing on essence may overlook practical details. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cups/) [Mysticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysticism/) [Mysticism Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysticism-particular-5026111/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Particular Cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular-cup-5026112/) [Poured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poured/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Water Poured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water-poured-1447674/) ## Related quotes > [“It's a lot of funnels and a lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom, and them telling us it's wine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/it-s-a-lot-of-funnels-and-a-lot-of-water-poured-down-the-spout-and/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Normally I will have five or six cups of tea a day, and if I can have them poured from a teapot, then all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-logan/normally-i-will-have-five-or-six-cups-of-tea-a-day-and-if-i-can-have/) [Phyllis Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-logan/) > [The cup has to be left clean and empty for the divine liquor to be poured into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/the-cup-has-to-be-left-clean-and-empty-for-the-divine-liquor-to-be/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [To an old memory like mine the present days are but as a little water poured on the deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/to-an-old-memory-like-mine-the-present-days-are-but-as-a-little-water/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Rivers of living water are to be poured out over the whole world, to ensure that people, like fishes caught in a net, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/rivers-of-living-water-are-to-be-poured-out-over-the-whole-world-to/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [“For one moment, she stood stock-still, drinking in the simple beauty of the marble fountain, the base of its pedestal wreathed in delicate fronds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/for-one-moment-she-stood-stock-still-drinking-in-the-simple-beauty-of/) [Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/) > [“Like water poured from one vessel to another, metta flows freely, taking the shape of each situation without changing its essence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/like-water-poured-from-one-vessel-to-another-metta-ows-freely-taking/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [There are many days when all the awful things that happen make you sick at heart, when the path before you is so steep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/there-are-many-days-when-all-the-awful-things-that-happen-make-you-2/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [“Shit, he said as a great, green glut of water poured up at our feet. I wonder what the ordinary people are doin today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/shit-he-said-as-a-great-green-glut-of-water-poured-up-at-our-feet-i/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [“You might say Gion was like a pond high up on a mountaintop, fed by streams of rich springwater. 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My biggest fear and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-thor/my-first-novel-the-lions-of-lucerne-just-poured-out-of-me-it-was-an/) [Brad Thor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-thor/) > [“When he poured a taste of Madeira for the Master Sommelier at my table, a splash of wine hit the rim of the glass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-bosker/when-he-poured-a-taste-of-madeira-for-the-master-sommelier-at-my/) [Bianca Bosker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-bosker/) > [“With each embrace, I poured my soul into his, till his and mine were the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meeta-ahluwalia/with-each-embrace-i-poured-my-soul-into-his-till-his-and-mine-were/) [Meeta Ahluwalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meeta-ahluwalia/) ## More by Vernon Howard > [“A self-working individual will be sitting around home one day when the startling thought occurs, “Here I am, sitting around, doing nothing of interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/a-self-working-individual-will-be-sitting-around-home-one-day-when/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The terrible immoralities are the cunning ones hiding behind masks of morality, such as exploiting people while pretending to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-terrible-immoralities-are-the-cunning-ones-hiding-behind-masks-of/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [No one on earth can hurt you, unless you accept the hurt in your own mind. . . The problem is not other people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/no-one-on-earth-can-hurt-you-unless-you-accept-the-hurt-in-your-own/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [To change what you get you must change who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/to-change-what-you-get-you-must-change-who-you-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Genuine kindness is not what we do, it is what we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/genuine-kindness-is-not-what-we-do-it-is-what-we-are/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [When told that man lives in delusion everyone thinks of himself as the exception; hence his delusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/when-told-that-man-lives-in-delusion-everyone-thinks-of-himself-as/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [It is against the law to permit weak people to steal your strength. Never permit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/it-is-against-the-law-to-permit-weak-people-to-steal-your-strength/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Men have the illusion of having a duty to make the world spin properly, which is precisely what makes it wobble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/men-have-the-illusion-of-having-a-duty-to-make-the-world-spin/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Just as surely as distress must follow self-deceit, healing must follow self-honesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/just-as-surely-as-distress-must-follow-self-deceit-healing-must/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Quit thinking that you must halt before the barrier of inner negativity. You need not. You can crash through... whatever we see a negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/quit-thinking-that-you-must-halt-before-the-barrier-of-inner/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [One false idea is that anyone can hurt you. Events can ruin your reputation, take your money, mistreat you, revenge itself upon you, deceive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/one-false-idea-is-that-anyone-can-hurt-you-events-can-ruin-your/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Don't try to be unafraid. That is impossible. Rather, go ahead while being afraid. That is the entire secret for abolishing fear. The Supermind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/don-t-try-to-be-unafraid-that-is-impossible-rather-go-ahead-while/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only way to do something truly important every day is to seek to understand yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-way-to-do-something-truly-important-every-day-is-to-seek-to/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Make it absolutely clear to yourself what you want from other people. That is really half the secret for drawing your desire to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/make-it-absolutely-clear-to-yourself-what-you-want-from-other-people/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The only reason you do not do great things is because you timidly cling to small things. Will you let loose of small things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-only-reason-you-do-not-do-great-things-is-because-you-timidly/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) [Explore all 181 Vernon Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) ## More Cups quotes > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. 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